Ashoka University Professor arrested in Haryana over Operation Sindoor remarks, Academics condemn move

May 18, 2025 by News Desk

Dr. Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University and noted political commentator, was arrested by Haryana Police early Saturday morning following a complaint filed by a leader of the BJP’s youth wing.

The arrest has sparked a wave of criticism from academics, civil rights activists, and public intellectuals across the country.

Here’s what Ali had said in his post dated May 8:

“Strategically India has actually begun a new phase in terms of collapsing distinction between military and terrorist (non-state actors) in Pakistan. In effect the response to any terrorist activity will invite a conventional response and so this puts the onus on the Pakistani military to make sure that it cannot hide any longer behind terrorists and non-state actors. In any case the Pak military has used militarised non-state actors to destabilise the region for far too long while also claiming to be victims on the international stage. It has also used the same actors – some of whom were targeted in the recent strikes – to foment sectarian tension in Pakistan. Operation Sindoor resets all received notions of Indo-Pak relationships as the response to terrorist attacks will be met with a military response and removes any semantic distinction between the two. Despite this collapse, care has been taken by the Indian armed forces to not target military or civilian installations or infrastructure so that there is no unnecessary escalation. The message is clear: if you don’t deal with your terrorism problem then we will! The loss of civilian life is tragic on both sides and is the main reason why war should be avoided.

There are those who are mindlessly advocating for a war but they have never seen one let alone lived in or visited a conflict zone. Being part of a mock civil defense drill does not make you a soldier and neither will you ever know the pain of someone who suffers losses because of conflict. War is brutal. The poor suffer disproportionately and the only people who benefit are politicians and defence companies. While war is inevitable because politics is primarily rooted in violence – at least human history teaches us this – we have to realise that political conflicts have never been solved militarily.

Lastly, I am very happy to see so many right wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureishi but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens. The optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings is importantly but optics must. Of course this is funny but it also points to just how deep communalism has managed to infect the indian body politic.

For me the press conference was just a fleeting glimpse- an illusion and allusion perhaps- to an India that defied the logic on which Pakistan was built. As I said, the grassroots reality that common Muslims face is different from what the government tried to show but at the same time the press conference shows that an India, united it its diversity, is not completely dead as an idea.Jai Hind.”

The complaint, lodged by Yogesh Jatheri—General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Haryana—alleges that Dr. Mahmudabad’s comments on social media in the context of “Operation Sindoor” were provocative and hurtful to communal sentiments. He has been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to disrupting communal harmony and promoting subversive speech.

Dr. Mahmudabad had, in a May 8 post, questioned the selective praise showered on army officers and drew attention to the government’s silence on victims of hate violence and state actions like demolitions. The post was sharply criticized by the Haryana State Women’s Commission, which accused him of belittling women in the armed forces and promoting division.

However, in response to the backlash, Dr. Mahmudabad clarified that his remarks were misinterpreted and had no bearing on gender. “The commission’s notice lacks any evidence of how my post violates women’s rights or laws protecting them,” he said.

His sudden arrest from Delhi—without what his supporters say was a valid transit remand—has been condemned as unlawful by legal experts. “This is a clear violation of procedure,” said Delhi University professor Apoorvanand, calling for judicial intervention and citing the Supreme Court’s precedent in the Pravir Purkayastha case.

The incident has ignited widespread outrage, with over 1,200 signatories—including prominent academics, retired bureaucrats, and public figures—releasing an open letter demanding an apology from the Haryana Women’s Commission and withdrawal of the summons.

The letter called the targeting of Mahmudabad an attempt at intimidation and censorship, warning of a deepening crackdown on intellectual freedom in India.

Dr. Mahmudabad is among a growing number of scholars and dissenting voices who have faced legal action in recent years for public commentary deemed critical of the ruling establishment.